In the Nightside Eclipse

In the Norwegian summer of 1993, the second wave of black metal was still in its ultra-violent infancy, and only a handful of bands were actively exploring the parameters of what was then an obscure and distinctly Scandinavian art form. Upon its release in 1995, In the Nightside Eclipse established Emperor as the reigning masters of a more complex, atmospheric style of “symphonic black metal,” but before the album was even mixed, half the band was in prison on charges ranging from arson to murder. The recording sessions at Grieghallen Studios in Bergen were completed in July 1993, just a month before black metal hysteria would seize Scandinavia in the grip of screaming newspaper headlines detailing the vicious murder of Mayhem founder/guitarist Øystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) by Burzum mastermind and onetime Mayhem session bassist Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh). A Pandora’s Box of criminal activity in the black metal underground had sprung wide open. Shortly after Vikernes’ apprehension, Emperor guitarist Samoth was arrested for church-burning and Emperor drummer Bård Eithun (a.k.a. Faust) was arrested for killing a man in the Lillehammer Olympic Park—a deed he had committed almost a year prior to the recording of In the Nightside Eclipse. Released from prison in December 2002 after serving nine years and four months’ time, Faust joins fellow ex-Emperors Samoth, Ihsahn (guitar/vocals/keys) and Tchort (bass) on the eve of a sudden Emperor reunion (featuring Samoth, Ihsahn and longtime Emperor drummer Trym) to recount the making of one of the most historically fascinating and sonically influential albums in the annals of extreme metal.Some argue that without the controversy of events outside the music, this album would be taken as a basic/standard Black Metal workout, nothing special and doomed to obscurity. I would argue the opposite, as De Mysteriis, just batters the air and subsequently lays barren any preconceptions of ‘the sub-standard’ to dust.It is far cry from the bands 1987 debut ‘Deathcrush’, a toneless adaptation of Venom and Hellhammer, and consisting of all the limitations of an inexperienced first release. By contrast the follow up to the virtually immaculate, De Mysteriis, was Wolfs Lair Abyss [1997] and A Grand Declaration of War [2000] were pale comparisons, lacking personality and depth, albeit strong quality Black Metal releases.The release of the Ordo AD Chao album has reasserted the bands former greatness, having captured the very wrought staleness of De Mysteriis, and harnessing the bands most bleak sounding opus since that classic debut.

"In the Nightside Eclipse" was truly a great BM album but so was Burzum's 1st album, Darkthrone's "A Blaze in the Northern Sky", Mayhem's "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" and Immortal's "Pure Holocaust", all of which were released prior to Emperor's album. Also, don't forget the classic split EP from Emperor/Enslaved.

Emperor's debut album is in my top 10 albums of all time, purely due to the band's exploration of melody and musicality in an extreme art form. I loved it from the opening intro to the sad, bitter and painful end.